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Canada recommends constitutional review for appointment of substantive Chancellor, Chief Justice
Kaieteur News- Canada has recommended that the Guyana Government take decisive action and review its constitution to appoint a substantive Chief Justice and Chancellor.
This recommendation was made at the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland. Guyana is among 14 nations that are currently having their human rights record reviewed at the OHCHR. Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues, led a delegation of Guyanese dignitaries who addressed the forum on Guyana’s human rights efforts and progress.
Chancellor (ag) of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George
During the session, Amélie Goudreau, Second Secretary at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, stated that “Canada recommends that Guyana review the constitution that impedes the processes of designating and appointing the substantive Chief Justice and Chancellor of the judiciary.” In response, Rodrigues told the forum briefly that “our constitution sets out how our Chief Justice and Chancellor are appointed.”
Since the constitutional amendment in 2001, Guyana has been without a substantive Chief Justice and Chancellor. Former Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice of the Court of Appeal, Carl Singh, retired in 2017 after serving 12 years. Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards has been acting since then.
Similarly, Justice Ian Chung served as acting Chief Justice from 2010 to 2016 and was never confirmed. Given the delay in the appointment, Presidents of the Caribbean Court of Justice(CCJ) have publicly called for the confirmation of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice, signalling the broader regional concern over the matter.
In Guyana, several independent voices and political figures called for the substantive appointments of the two judges. Earlier this year, President of the Guyana Bar Association, Kamal Ramkarran, made the call for the immediate appointment of Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Roxane George-Wiltshire as the substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice of the judiciary, respectively.
Ramkarran, a prominent advocate for judicial reform, further asserted that both Cummings-Edwards and George-Wiltshire have served with distinction and are well-qualified to be confirmed in the permanent positions they currently occupy. “I certainly believe that the people who are performing the role of the Chancellor and CJ are the people who should be confirmed for the positions, and it should happen as soon as possible,” he added.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has already expressed formal support for the substantive appointments of Cummings-Edwards and George-Wiltshire, which is a necessary step in the constitutional process.
However, President Irfaan Ali and Attorney General Anil Nandlall have not provided any explanation for the delay in confirming these appointments. As calls for a permanent resolution intensify, the future of the judicial leadership in Guyana remains uncertain. It is now up to President Irfaan Ali and the Opposition Leader to come to an agreement, bringing an end to a situation that has plagued the country’s judicial system for more than two decades.
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